DUST & ILLUSIONS

A film by Olivier Bonin
Editor: Arthur Guibert
Narrator: Tom Kennedy
Producers: Imagine, Madnomad Films (France).
Original Score by Samuel Fajner

Interviewees by order of appearance (*BM = Burning Man)
→ For pictures of all the interviewees click here.

Jerry James, Burning Man co-founder & Carpenter. BM since 1986.
Larry Harvey, Burning Man co-founder & Executive director. BM since 1986.
John Law, Burning Man co-founder & director (until 1996) & Cacophonist. BM b/w 1989 and 1996.
Michael Mikel, Burning Man co-founder & director. BM since 1986.
Michael Hopkins (Flash), Artist. BM since 1986.
Kevin Evans, Artist. BM since 1990.
William Binzen, Artist & Photographer. Created Desert Siteworks in 1992. BM since 1990.
Charlie Gadeken, Artist & Boxshop Artist studio’s director. BM since 1992.
Pepe Ozan, Sculptor. Participated in Desert Siteworks in 1993. BM since 1993.
Chicken John, Event Promoter. BM since 1995.
Adrian Roberts, Newspaper publisher, Piss Clear (Burning Man publication) Editor. BM since 1993.
Marian Goodell, Burning Man Communication & Finance director. BM since 1995.
Rebecca Anders, Artist, Flaming Lotus Girls. BM since 1997.
James Stauffer, Writer, Flaming Lotus Girls. BM since 2005.
Jim Mason, Artist, The Shipyard’s artist studio’s director. BM since 1994.
Pouneh Mortazavi, Artist, Flaming Lotus Girls. BM since 1998.
Rosa Anna DeFilippis, Molecular Biologist, Flaming Lotus Girls. BM since 2001.
Caroline Miller, Molecular Biologist, Flaming Lotus Girls. BM since 2000.
Tom Price, Burning Man Environemental Manager. BM since 1997.
Patrick Mulroy, English Writing Teacher. Attendee in 2006.
Christine Kristen (LadyBee), Burning Man Curator until 2008. BM since 1997.
Bill Kennedy, San Francisco Bay Area Artists Patron.

Archival Footage

  • Seattle 1967, Produced by Universal Studios, Part of the Universal Newsreels collection, Creative Commons Public Domain
  • Picture of Larry Harvey and Jerry James, Courtesy of Jerry James © 1986
  • Pictures of Suicide Club Thanksgiving Food Party, and Roping b/w buildings by Greg Mancuso ©1977, Courtesy of Greg Mancuso
  • Pictures of John Law with flower, and Suicide Club walking on the street, by Mary Spoerer ©1977, Courtesy of John Law
  • Pictures by Bob Campbell & Louise Jarmilowicz: Suicide Club posing naked in cable car, Suicide Club group shot with John Law in center, Suicide Club in bus, Suicide Club rappelling down building, Suicide Club in Bart train station and in train, Suicide Club coming out of whole in ground, Suicide Club exploration of Drawbridge ghostown, Gary Warne with Frog, all pictures are ©1977-1982, Courtesy of John Law.
  • Pictures by Henry Pietrofitta: Suicide Club group shot in front of garage door, John Law posing at “Le Petit Paris” coffee stand, Suicide Club bridge exploration in NY, all pictures are ©1977-1982, Courtesy of John Law
  • Picture of Gary Warne, Courtesy of John Law ©1977
  • Cacophony Society footage late 80’s, Courtesy of Michael Mikel
  • Pictures of Burning Man 1987 in backyard, Courtesy of Jerry James ©1987
  • Photographs of 1988 Giant Croquet Game, in Black Rock Desert organized, by Mel Lyons and John Bogard, taken by Patricia Kelley, Courtesy of Patricia Kelley ©1988
  • Burning Man 1988 on the beach ©1988
  • Pictures of 1989 Wind Sculpture Festival, in Black Rock Desert, by Dawn Stott ©1989
  • Cacophony Newsletter June 1989, Produced by Cacophony Society / Michael Mikel, Courtesy of John Law ©1989
  • Color Photograph of Burning Man 1990 with participants climbing on it by William Binzen ©1990
  • Burning Man 1990 on the beach, Excerpt from “Burning Man”, by Peter Hassan ©1990
  • Pictures of Burning Man 1990, by Kevin Evans ©1990
  • Rough Draft Cacophony Society, Newsletter Sept 1990, Courtesy of Kevin Evans
  • Map of Black Rock and Burning Man 1993, by Burning Man Projects ©1993
  • Aerial Picture of Gerlach Nevada in 2007, by Sam Urquhart
  • Burning Man 1990 in the desert, Excerpt from “Burning Man” by Larry Harvey, Filmed by Judith Iam ©1991
  • Burning Man 1991 & 1992, Filmed by Jeffrey Smitty
  • Desert Siteworks 1993 & 1994, Filmed by Richard Darigo ©1993 1994, Courtesy of Judith West and William Binzen
  • Photographs of Desert Sitewoks 1993, and Burning Man 1992, by William Binzen, Courtesy of William Binzen ©1992 ©1993
  • Burning Man 1993 (Effigy burning, Pepe Ozan’s 1993 tower, Raising the man). Excerpt of “In Search Of Ritual” by Peter Goin ©1994
  • Burning Man 1996 (Drive-by Shooting, Entry Gate, Helco burning). Excerpt of “Burning Man Festival” by Joe Winston, Ow Myeye Productions, Inc., Courtesy of Joe Winston ©1997
  • Burning Man 1996 (Opera, Helco show), Filmed by Ronny Novick, 10 Directions Productions ©1996
  • Operas by Pepe Ozan 1998 and 1999, Excerpt from “The Temple of Rudra” (1998), Excerpt from “Le Mystere de Papa Lokko” (1999), Courtesy of Pepe Ozan
  • Pictures of Adrian Roberts in 1993, Courtesy of Adrian Roberts ©1993
  • Pictures of the Burning Man with Smiley in 1996, by Heather Shirkey ©1996
  • Covers and insides of Piss Clear since 1994, by Adrian Roberts, Courtesy of Adrian Roberts ©1994-2007, www.pissclear.org
  • Incompetence Compensation Project in 1998, by Jim Mason, Courtesy of Jim Mason ©1998
  • Remote Control Car Hunt with a Metal Fox on top, event by Robert Burke in 2004, Courtesy of Robert Burke
  • Picture of Paul Addis in 2007, by Michael Mikel ©2007
  • 10 principles document, by Black Rock LLC, Courtesy of Black Rock LLC
  • Conference on Burning Man, by Larry Harvey and David Best, at University of Michigan in 2005, Filmed by Jeremy Hockett, Courtesy of Jeremy Hockett

Special Thanks to
All of the Flaming Lotus Girls, Brian Doherty and his excellent book “This is Burning Man”, The Burning Man organization, The almighty Robert Burke, B’anna Federico, Jessica Hobbs, Michael Prados, Steve Jones, Judy West, Suzanne Couture, Dana Albany, Lisa Nigro, Flynn Mauthe, Jeremy Hockett, John Bogard, Rachel Riggin, Stephen Rademaker, Niko Von Broembsen, Brian Goggin,
Florencia Aleman, Charlie Smith, Rosana Scimeca, Chrissie Wilson, Seth Malice, Steve Heck, Dave X, Doug Keister, Kate Raudenbush, Saul Melman and Jadu Beta’s crew, Pam McGaha, Michael Taluc and crew, Andie Grace, Sherry Carter, The Temple’s crew, Deep End’s crew, Sol System’s crew, Crude Awakening’s crew, Burning Silicon’s crew, Pinklectica’s crew, The Crucible, Piaute Tribe of Pyramid Lake Reservation, Nimby Art Space, Ace Auto Junkyard, Burnin’ Bush, & the unforgettable La Contessa!

And a special thanks to Aki Tanaka & Antoine Bonin

Film Funding & Co-Production

  • Co-Producers:

    • Madnomad Films (Paris, France)
    Imagine (Paris, France)

  • Additional Funding from:

    • CNC (Centre National de la Cinématographie) (Paris, France)
    PROCIREP (Paris, France)
    ANGOA (Paris, France)

A production of Madnomad Films & Imagine ©2009